BIRMINGHAM'S national military hospital is bracing itself for rising numbers of injured soldiers as more forces return to war-torn Afghanistan.

BIRMINGHAM'S national military hospital is bracing itself for rising numbers of injured soldiers as more forces return to war-torn Afghanistan.

The Royal Centre of Defence Medicine has warned bosses of neighbouring Selly Oak Hospital that it will need to use more staff in the coming year.

The Army hospital, which receives all injured British soldiers from around the world, shares expertise, medics and wards with the nearby NHS hospital.

But a latest report from Mark Britnell, chief executive of Selly Oak Hospital, said physiotherapists, occupational health workers and other staff should be prepared to do more work at the military hospital.

"We have been informed that it is becoming increasingly clear that the coming year is going to be a busy time for the Defence Medical Services," said Mr Britnell.

"With a commitment to Afghanistan combined with the ongoing presence in Iraq, military nursing and allied health professional staff will be deployed in larger numbers and more frequently as the coming year progresses."

Prime Minister Tony Blair has revealed 3,300 British soldiers are being sent to Afghanistan to help police in the lawless southern region of the country.

Afghanistan is set to be a hostile environment for soldiers with remnants of the former Taliban regime, remote areas ruled by tribal war lords and drug barons.

Pat Severs, spokeswoman for the Military of Defence, said: "It makes good planning sense for both Selly Oak Hospital and the Royal Centre of Defence Medicine to look at places like Afghanistan and Iraq to make sure they have got sufficient resources.

"It is difficult to know how many people will be coming back. But because more people are going to be deployed there than before, we have to plan for injuries coming back, from illnesses to road accidents and possible battle injuries."

More than 4,000 British soldiers - the equivalent of eight infantry regiments - have been flown home from Iraq for medical treatment, mainly at the Selly Oak Military Hospital, since the start of the Iraq war in 2003.